Ace High blitzes field to win 2017 Derby at Flemington

It's the oldest classic on the Australian turf and a sense of history invariably surrounds the Victoria Derby, no matter who wins.

That fact was not lost on the protagonists at Flemington on Saturday, as the winning trainer, Sydney based South African David Payne, and jockey Tye Angland, once a teenage rodeo rider in regional NSW, celebrated their momentous triumph with the $7 favourite Ace High.

"This is No.1 in my career now," declared an exultant Angland after his mount scored by two lengths from the equally well backed $7.50 chance Sully, with another well backed contender in the $8 shot Astoria third.

Angland has won big races, group 1s, in Sydney and has also ridden in Hong Kong, but the history, tradition, lore and lustre of the Melbourne derby, first run in 1855, makes this success the stand-out in his career.

"It was the Golden Rose [which he won earlier this season on outsider Trapeze Artist, upon whom he finished down the track earlier on Saturday in the Coolmore Stud Stakes]. That was a massive thrill. But it's the VRC Derby, there is history behind it, and now I am a part of it."

Payne echoed those sentiments, declaring this the biggest success of his Australian career.

The 69-year-old, who was initially a jockey then a trainer in his native country before moving to Sydney nearly two decades ago, said that a champion South African galloper whom he was associated with, In Full Flight, would always hold a special place in his heart.

But Ace High will go close to sharing that space now.

"I have always wanted to win a group 1, especially at Flemington. The carnival here is unbelievable. I have been here a few years and enjoyed the atmosohere. I am getting older and I was wondering if it would ever happen.

"I have come close in this race in the past, I ran second with Praecido, and also Criterion but he drew badly. I always thought this colt was the right one.

"I had a good horse in South Africa called In Full Flight, nothing will ever take his place, but it's very satisfying to come and win a group 1 here.

"The preparation has been fantastic, we never had one hiccup, which doesn't usually happen. We even got the draw [barrier three], which worked out perfectly."

Ace High had already tasted success at group 1 level with a victory in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick four months ago, his fifth run in a busy 10-week period during the late winter and early spring.

Payne opted not to go to the well too often and gave him a four-week break between that Randwick success and Saturday's Flemington contest. It worked a treat, as he now becomes only the fourth horse to do the Spring Champion/VRC Derby double.

"That's why we didn't run him in between. I said to John [Cordina, the horse's owner] that running again would be one race too many, he has had two hard races. Its worked out, he had fresh legs."

A son of High Chaparral (who also was the sire of champion So You Think), Ace High has improved as the distances he has been asked to run over have increased.

"You look at all his runs over distance he has won them."

So is the Melbourne Cup an option next season?

"Why not, if he's sound and still around," Payne shot back.

His face creased into a grin when a hand reached out from the side and he saw 82-year-old Lester Piggott, perhaps the greatest jockey in the history of racing, offer his congratulations. Piggott, who is visiting the carnival this year, knows all about Derby winners, having ridden a record nine Epsom Derbies during his long and decorated career in the saddle.

Payne was chuffed to be acknowledged by the legend that is Lester.

"We rode together in the old days. We rode in international races, when I was a jockey. I was stable jockey to his cousin, a bloke called Fred Rickaby in South Africa, a great trainer."

Connections of runner-up Sully were gracious in defeat. Hugh Bowman had been able to angle the Trent Busuttin/Natalie Young trained gelding across from his wide barrier and he looked the winner before Ace High launched his challenge down the outside.

Ozzie Kheir, who also owns strongly fancied Melbourne Cup contenders Marmelo and Wall of Fire, shrugged and said that his galloper would improve as he matured through the autumn and into next spring.

"I did think we were going to win 300 or 400 out, we were going very well. I knew he did a lot of work getting there, his barrier didn't help him. I think if he had drawn a gate he might have been a bit closer, Kheir said.

"It might be nice to have a home grown hope for next year's Melbourne Cup, not buying another import and spending millions of dollars. I have no compalints, if you said we were going to run second before the race we would probably have taken that."